S&W-57Man
03-20-2009, 04:23 AM
I've been reloading ammunition for quite a long time now but never gave much thought as to how deep I was seating the bullet unless the bullet offered a seating crimp guide line. I have reloaded for roughly 18 years and just loaded the bullets to a good looking depth, but have recently read an article within "Gun Loads" where a reloader talked about seating the bulllet within 0.015" of the rifling. Maybe I read about doing that so long ago but have now forgotten the details. I guess a sized case, without the primer, could be used to seat the bullet to a depth shy of the rifling by a certain amount (maybe 0.015"). Once the correct adjustment of the die, the lock rings could be secured for that reloading task. Maybe I should do that for all my reloading, but haven't. I do crimp for the Win 94 30-30 and most all cast bullets. I simply crimp in the crimping grove of the cast bullets and what looks good on the 30-30, even though I'm using cast on the 30-30 now. I would appreciate thoughts on whether I need to crimp more of my reloaded ammunition. Here is a list of my reloads and what I crimp now:
.30-06 leave non-crimped usually w/jacketed bullets -- may use cast soon
.30-.30 usually crimp and use cast now
.30 M1 Carbine usually non-crimped w/jacketed bullets
.41 Mag. usually crimped using cast mostly
,44 Mag. usually a crimp w/jacketed bullets - must use jackets
I have also heard from someone, whom it concerned, that some or all 9mm's must be crimped in a special way because the case is used for headspace or something.
.30-06 leave non-crimped usually w/jacketed bullets -- may use cast soon
.30-.30 usually crimp and use cast now
.30 M1 Carbine usually non-crimped w/jacketed bullets
.41 Mag. usually crimped using cast mostly
,44 Mag. usually a crimp w/jacketed bullets - must use jackets
I have also heard from someone, whom it concerned, that some or all 9mm's must be crimped in a special way because the case is used for headspace or something.